Middleton took a great interest in photography and was an early committee member of the Norwich Photographic Society, which was formed in 1854. He was one of the earliest artists to use a camera as an aid to producing watercolour landscapes, working in the medium whilst it was still in its infancy. Being monochrome, rectangular and with clean edges, it is more than likely that this is one such example. If this is the case, perhaps this is not necessarily a painting of moonlight, but rather an interpretation of a dark, early Victorian photograph.

The identity of R. Jutsum, the dedicatee of this watercolour, is unclear, but the artist Henry Jutsum was a younger contemporary of Middleton, who strongly influenced his work.

Dimensions:

Height 16 cm / 6 "

Width 22 cm / 8 "

Framed height 32 cm / 12 "

Framed width 40 cm / 15 "

Year

1851

Medium

Watercolour and bodycolour

Signed

Signed "JM" and, beneath mount, "Bray. J Middleton 1851". Inscribed verso "JM to his friend R. Jutsum Esq."

Provenance